A man who recently hit the news by posing as a car park attendant, pestering drivers seeking a parking spot in Valletta, landed in court again on Thursday, merely weeks after being fined and barred from approaching his patch at Hastings Gardens.

Edward Farrugia, 39, was taken into police custody on Wednesday morning after police found him back at the site.

On January 5, Magistrate Joe Mifsud had fined €500 and ordered him not to set foot in the area.

READ: Unauthorised parker who hassled drivers barred from car park

The magistrate had specifically laid down a number of streets which were to be a no-go zone for the man, Inspector Jeffrey Scicluna explained in court during the arraignment.

Yet, the man had evidently ignored the earlier court ruling, the inspector said.

The man pleaded not guilty.  

“All those who come to Valletta know this man. There is no difficulty to track him down,” pointed out his lawyer, observing further that there was no pressing need to keep him under arrest.

Inspector Scicluna was quick to rebut that this was not Mr Farrugia’s first brush with the law, having already had some two or three other similar cases.

“That's why we're here today. He would not abide by bail conditions,” Inspector Scicluna insisted.

Upholding these arguments put forward by the prosecution, the court rejected the request for bail referring the case to the Court Registrar to be assigned accordingly.